1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method of manufacturing a crosslinked fluororesin powder.
2. Description of the Related Art
A crosslinked fluororesin in powder form (i.e., a crosslinked fluororesin powder) is increasingly demanded due to excellent characteristics thereof for use in e.g. machine parts such as a sliding component.
A method of manufacturing the crosslinked fluororesin powder is known in which a non-crosslinked fluororesin powder is firstly formed into a mat or sheet shape and is then crosslinked by exposure to radiation at a predetermined dose in a low-oxygen gas atmosphere while being heated to a temperature slightly above the melting point of the fluororesin, and the crosslinked fluororesin sheet is cooled down to room temperature and then pulverized into a powder by a pulverizer mill, thereby obtaining a crosslinked fluororesin powder having a predetermined particle size (see e.g., JP-A-2002-321216).